Abraham Addison Hargrave (1755–1808), sometimes referred to as Abraham Hargrave the Elder was an architect and building contractor who was active mainly in

County Cork County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns a ...

, Ireland, in the late 18th and early 19th century. Born near

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popula ...

, England, in 1755, Hargrave came to

Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

between 1789 and 1791. Among his first commissions was the rebuilding of St Patricks Bridge in Cork, which had been damaged by severe flooding in 1789. Over the coming decades Hargrave was responsible for a number of merchant manor houses in the area (including

Vernon Mount Vernon Mount (sometimes Vernon Mount House or Mount Vernon) is a ruined Georgian manor house in Cork, Ireland. It was built between the 1780s and early 1790s to designs attributed to Abraham Hargrave. Originally built for the merchant Hayes fam ...

c. 1790, Lotabeg c. 1800, additions to Castle Hyde c. 1801, and works at

Fota House Fota (statutory spelling Foaty; ga, Fóite) is an island in Cork Harbour, Ireland, just north of the larger island of Great Island. Fota Island is host to Ireland's only wildlife park – as well as the historical Fota House and gardens and go ...

). He was also involved in the development of several barracks (for example Cork Military Barracks c.1800 and Fermoy Barracks c.1804) and other works (including Christ Church in Fermoy c.1804, and at Belvelly bridge). Reputedly a member of the Freemasons, some later commentators suggest that Hargrave incorporated

masonic symbolism Masonic ritual is the scripted words and actions that are spoken or performed during the degree work in a Masonic lodge. Masonic symbolism is that which is used to illustrate the principles which Freemasonry espouses. Masonic ritual has appeared ...

into some works attributed to him – although other commentators question this claim. Hargrave died at the age of 53 at Camden Place, Cork, in March 1808. A number of Hargave's descendants were also involved in architecture and construction, including his sons Abraham Addison Hargrave (died 1838) and

John Hargrave John Gordon Hargrave (6 June 1894 – 21 November 1982), (woodcraft name 'White Fox'), was a prominent youth leader in Britain during the 1920s and 1930s, Head Man of the Kibbo Kift, described in his obituary as an 'author, cartoonist, inve ...

(died 1833). The former was responsible for Cork's Custom House (later the Cork Harbour Commissioners headquarters) which was completed in 1818.

Notes and references

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hargrave, Abraham 1755 births 1808 deaths Architects from County Cork Architects from Yorkshire